Reese Witherspoon clears schedule amid Big Little Lies sequel production rumors

Actress Reese Witherspoon has fueled reports suggesting a second season of Big Little Lies is imminent after dropping out of new film Pale Blue Dot.

The Legally Blonde beauty had originally signed up to star in and produce the space drama in 2015, but filming on the project was postponed for early 2018 due to screenwriter-turned-director Noah Hawley's busy schedule.

However, Reese has since withdrawn from Pale Blue Dot so she will be available to shoot another run of episodes for her hit miniseries Big Little Lies, reports Variety.com.

Sources tell TVLine producers at network HBO want to shoot season two in the spring (18).

HBO officials have yet to confirm whether Big Little Lies will return for more episodes, but Reese and her co-star and fellow producer Nicole Kidman have previously revealed they were discussing ideas to expand upon the story, based on the book of the same name by Liane Moriarty.

Earlier this month (Nov17), Nicole gave fans the biggest hint yet that a second season would soon be on its way.

"We want to," she shared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. "We're inching our way forward because we want it to be good. It's now moving far more rapidly than (it was) six months ago. Part of it is, we want to explore these women and their stories further but also, we want to give more roles to other people."

Big Little Lies, created and written by TV veteran David E. Kelley, also starred Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, and Zoe Kravitz and followed a group of mothers in Monterey, California whose lives are forever intertwined following the death of one of their husbands.

Alexander Skarsgard and Adam Scott also featured as part of the ensemble.

The series, directed by Jean-Marc Vallee, took home eight Primetime Emmy Awards in September (17), including Outstanding Limited Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for Kidman.